Page 140 of Inked in Bloom
Unconditionally and in every iteration.
55
BRIAR
“Ithink it’s solstice.”
It’s cute she merelythinksit’s solstice. I’m certain of it. The entire room is drenched in the sugary scent of her desire. My dick jumps in my pants, every instinct homed in on serving my mate’s every need. I crave it.
Monroe appears in the shed, naked and dripping water from the bath.
In five long strides, I pick her up and set her onto the sculpted bunny ears I smuggled home after our claiming ceremony. “Where should I begin?”
I trace the mate mark and cup her breast, giving extra attention to her nipple. Dragging down her center, I admire the new vines twirling out from the entwined stems and landing on her hip.
Monroe is already spreading her knees, leaning back so I have full access to her body. With a twitch of my nose, I’m naked. She licks her lips and, as if on command, precum billows from the tip of my dick.
Monroe’s eyes drop to the ground. “On your knees, Professor Briar.”
She doesn’t have to ask twice. My knees drop, and I draw a trail of kisses up her thigh. “There’s nowhere else I’d rather be, Professor Monroe.”
The sweet scent kicks up a notch, and I can’t wait any longer. I’m ravenous. Licking up her center, I explore her with my tongue, testing her reactions while I savor her taste. She whimpers, hips jerking, head dropping back. “More. I need more.”
While I’d happily live right here, my mate’s body has a specific craving during solstice.
I stand and swallow her sounds with my lips as I plunge my cock into her. I move quickly, matching her fevered urgency. We’re a mess of rasps and moans, and when my teeth graze her claiming mark, she convulses in ecstasy.
One more punch of my hips, and I come deep inside her. It’s heaven, but then her lock activates, a wave of steel-clad tension. Before I pass out and potentially injure us both, I carry Monroe to the bed, telling her all the ways I’m going to worship her before and after her rejuvenation.
I set her atop me, my calyxus expertly working her clit. Between her sounds and lock, thick jets of cum spray her insides. Our pleasure swings back and forth, a pendulum of ecstasy, until she’s exhausted and filled to burst. Black spots pepper my vision, a momentary warning before I pass out.
The rest of solstice rolls by in a deliciously delirious haze. I hold my mate close, her body still encasing mine. Her lock’s retracted, but when I move to get up, she tightens her legs around me.
“Stay like this,” she pleads mid-yawn. Her eyes flutter and the deep sleep of rejuvenation takes hold as I fall asleep inside her.
For the next six weeks,the girls and I go back to our usual routine as if Monroe is still out bringing spring. Every so often they’ll tell her bedtime stories, sidling beside her and reading her excerpts fromAlice in WonderlandorSleeping Beauty.
Finally, our routine is interrupted by the shrill screams of excitement when they spot her body twitching, waking from rejuvenation. Taylor grabs me right away, and we spend the day catching up.
At night, I read Monroe a very different sort of story. While I look forward to having her ride me during my next reading for open mic night, I’m always happy to give her a private performance. She’s the only raving fan I’ll ever need.
We take dessert in bed, marshmallow creme and carrot cake, before falling asleep in each other’s arms.
The next morning, we wake to tiny feet pounding up the stairs. Sunlight streaks through the window, shimmering where it hits the rose gold of our marks. Four wiggly bodies cram around us, giggling, regaling us with their dreams and already making plans for our day.
Once they’ve successfully nudged us out of bed, I head downstairs and make breakfast. Full-belly laughs and the rich scent of butter fill the room. Monroe and the girls play cards until I’m ready for them to set the table. Moving in a circle, I drop chocolate chip bun-cakes with whipped cream tails onto each plate.
It could be any morning in our house. Similar to so many I’ve had here with the girls. But somehow everything’s changed. With my mate by my side, colors are bolder, our love is louder, and the future shines brighter than I’d ever imagined.
And finally, after all these years, I’m struck by the beauty of immortality.
EPILOGUE
FATE
4 SEASONS LATER
Lights flicker, a generator hums, and the tile vibrates beneath Fate. Not that she feels it. She floats along the dark corridor in silence. Decades of her duty have anesthetized her to most things. Most, but not all. Though some days, she thinks it would be better that way.
